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A CAD-BEM geometry transformation method for face-based primary geometric input based on closed contour recognition

  • Research Article
  • Advances in Modeling and Simulation Tools
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Abstract

Performance analysis during the early design stage can significantly reduce building energy consumption. However, it is difficult to transform computer-aided design (CAD) models into building energy models (BEM) to optimize building performance. The model structures for CAD and BEM are divergent. In this study, geometry transformation methods was implemented in BES tools for the early design stage, including auto space generation (ASG) method based on closed contour recognition (CCR) and space boundary topology calculation method. The program is developed based on modeling tools SketchUp to support the CAD format (like *.stl, *.dwg, *.ifc, etc.). It transforms face-based geometric information into a zone-based tree structure model that meets the geometric requirements of a single-zone BES combined with the other thermal parameter inputs of the elements. In addition, this study provided a space topology calculation method based on a single-zone BEM output. The program was developed based on the SketchUp modeling tool to support additional CAD formats (such as *.stl, *.dwg, *.ifc), which can then be imported and transformed into *.obj. Compared to current methods mostly focused on BIM-BEM transformation, this method can ensure more modeling flexibility. The method was integrated into a performance analysis tool termed MOOSAS and compared with the current version of the transformation program. They were tested on a dataset comprising 36 conceptual models without partitions and six real cases with detailed partitions. It ensures a transformation rate of two times in any bad model condition and costs only 1/5 of the time required to calculate each room compared to the previous version.

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Abbreviations

1LSB:

first-level space boundary

2LSB:

second-level space boundary

AFN:

air flow network

ASG:

auto space generation

BEM:

building energy models

BES:

building energy simulation

BIM:

building information model

B-rep:

boundary representation format

BTG:

building topology graph method

CAD:

computer-aided design

CCR:

closed contour recognition method

CP:

cell representation model

CSG:

constructive solid geometry

DRM:

dimensionally reduced model

IFC:

industry foundation classes

SB:

space boundary

A r :

Cr/C (%)

A s :

Sr/S (%)

A wi :

proportion of internal walls (partitions) that were recognized (%)

A wo :

proportion of external walls that were recognized (%)

C :

total rooms/zones of the building

C r :

zones recognized by the program

S :

gross floor area (m2)

S r :

total area of the recognized zones (m2)

T g,i :

program duration for a specific process (data preprocessing, data cleansing, 1LSB generation, space construction and topology calculation) and Tg is the total duration (s)

T r,i :

Tg,i/Cr (s/room)

B i,k :

1LSB representations in the node group Gi,k

C i,j :

list of connected nodes to the node Pi,j

F L :

list of building floors

N i :

list of nodes in level Hi

V i :

list of vectors representing the directions of walls in level Hi

W i :

list of walls in level Hi

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the National Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 52130803) for funding this study.

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Author notes

  1. Jun Xiao and Hao Zhou contributed equally to this work and should be regarded as co-first authors.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Building Science, School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Jun Xiao, Shiji Yang, Deyin Zhang & Borong Lin

  2. Key Laboratory of Eco Planning & Green Building, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Jun Xiao, Hao Zhou, Shiji Yang, Deyin Zhang & Borong Lin

  3. Institute for Urban Governance and Sustainable Development, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Hao Zhou

Authors
  1. Jun Xiao
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  2. Hao Zhou
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  4. Deyin Zhang
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Jun Xiao, Hao Zhou, Shiji Yang, Deyin Zhang, Borong Lin. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Jun Xiao and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Borong Lin.

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The authors have no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article. Borong Lin is an editorial board member of Building Simulation.

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Xiao, J., Zhou, H., Yang, S. et al. A CAD-BEM geometry transformation method for face-based primary geometric input based on closed contour recognition. Build. Simul. 17, 335–354 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-023-1081-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-023-1081-6

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